1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food-cutting apparatus for solid foods such as an ice block, frozen fruits and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An outline and enlarged views of parts of a conventional food-cutting apparatus are shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3A, 3B and 3C, which apparatus will briefly be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings in which like reference characters or numerals designate like parts, in which:
The numeral 1 designates a base on a one side of which is mounted a supporting frame 2 in an upright position, at an upper portion of which supporting frame 2 is mounted an upper frame 3 extending laterally from the supporting frame 2. Within an upper portion of the supporting frame 2 an electric motor 5 is recived. These frames 2 and 3 are covered by a head cover 4 provided thereon.
A main shaft 7 on an outer peripheral surface of which a worm is formed is rotatably mounted on a supporting member 10 provided on the upper frame 3, in an upper portion of which main shaft 7 is inserted and connected thereto a pulley 6 slidably by means of a key and the like, around which pulley 6 and another pulley 8 mounted on shaft of the electric motor 5 a belt 9 runs under tension.
To a lower end of the main shaft 7 is attached a holding member 12 below which is disposed a cutting plate 13 to which a cutting blade 11 is detachably attached. A worm wheel 15 meshing with the worm of the main shaft 7 is fixed to a rotary shaft 16 which is axially supported by a supporting member 14 provided on the upper frame 3, adjacent to which worm wheel 15 a brake ring 17 is also fixed to the rotary shaft 16. On the upper frame 3 is mounted a supporting member 18 in which a threaded hole is provided laterally, with which threaded hole a screw shaft 20 is meshed as shown in FIG. 2, in a front end portion of which screw shaft 20 is provided a blind hole into which a small-diameter supporting shaft 21 of a brake shoe 19 is inserted, around an outer periphery of which supporting shaft 21 a coil spring 22 is provided so as to wind it 21 therein, which coil spring 22 always presses the brake shoe 19 to the brake ring 17. The numeral 23 designates a main switch for actuating the motor 5. The numeral 25 designates a lower cover provided between the upper frame 3 and the cutting plate 13 for enclosing a cutting operation area, which cover 25 is formed by its rear half portion 25b attached to the supporting frame 2 by means of mounting means 26 and its front half portion 25a disposed radially in a more inward position than that of the rear half portion 25b, a lower end of which front half portion 25a is inserted in a concave groove provided in the cutting plate 13 to make oneself horizontally openable. The numeral 27 designates a manual handle fixed to an extending end of the rotary shaft 16.
In use of the above-mentioned apparatus in a condition as shown in FIG. 1, the worm wheel 15 is rotated by rotating the rotary shaft 16 through the manual handle 27 to move up the main shaft 7 so as to form a space between the holding member 12 and the cutting plate 13, then the lower cover 25 is opened to place a food in the space mentioned above, and thereafter the holding member 12 is lowered by rotating the handle 27 in reverse direction to pierce the food with holding pins 29 provided on a lower surface of the holding member 12. At this time, since a braking force adjusted by rotating a screw shaft 20 is applied to the brake ring 17 through the brake shoe 19, the handle 27 can be rotated in case that a manual driving force overcomes the braking force. As a result, it is possible to hold the holding member 12 in a position where the user stops the manual driving of the handle 27.
However, in this condition, in case that an unexpected force directed downward is applied to the main shaft 7 or the user rotates the handle 27 by mistake to lower the holding member 12, there is strong possibility that the holding pins 29 hurt the user's fingers. This is a defect in herent in the conventional food-cutting apparatus.
In cutting operation of the food with the use of the conventional apparatus, the motor 5 is actuated by turning on the main switch 23 after he closed the lower cover 25, which motor 5 rotatably drives the main shaft 7 through the pulleys 6, 8 and the belt 9. Since the worm wheel 15 is prevented from rotating by the braking force of the brake shoe 19, the main shaft 7 is lowered while rotated by the rotation of the motor 5 to press downward and rotate the food by means of the holding member 12 so as to cut the food with the use of the cutting blade 13. At this time, the food resists the downward movement of the main shaft 7, and the resultant resisting force of the food is overcome when the worm wheel 15 meshing with the worm of the main shaft 7 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 5 after such driving force overcomes the braking force of the brake shoe 19.
As for this cutting operation in the conventional apparatus, the main switch 23 is sometimes turned on in case that the lower cover 25 is still not closed completely due to the user's carelessness and also in case that the user turns the main switch 23 on by mistake, this leads to an accident such as a hit of a small block of the cut food at the worker around the apparatus and the user's injury caused by his touching the holding member 12. This is another defect inherent in the conventional food-cutting apparatus.
FIG. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D show the details of the holding member 12. As shown in the drawings, a base plate 28 is made of plastic, in which base plate 28 the holding pins 29 are integrally embedded when the base plate 28 is molded. In an example as shown in the drawings, the total number of the holding pins 29 are eight, four of which are provided in a radially inside portion of the base plate 28 and remaining four of which are provided in a radially outside portion of the base plate 28. The total number of the holding pins 29 is not restricted to the above eight only. The reference numeral 31 designates a cover fitting to the base plate 28, in a central portion of which cover 31 is provided a threaded hole 30 with which a lower end of the main shaft 7 which forms a worm meshes. The cover 31 is fixed to the base plate 28 by means of setscrews 32 which engage with threaded holes 33.
Since the holding pins 29 are integrally embedded in the base plate 28 in such holding member 12, it is difficult to remove a food residue which is adhered to coner portions of the holding pins 29 adjacent to a back surface of the base plate 28 and to a portion between the cover 31 and the base plate 28. This is further another defect inherent in the conventional food-cutting apparatus.